Thirteen year old Stella Nox Fleuret viewed out of her car window.
She had just awoken from a drowsy sleep in the limousine, to admire the skyscrapers and neon signs up in the high lights of the sky.
The solid moon etched its pure white boldness on to the surface of the dark night.
She straightened her white formal frock on her lap with her small silk gloved hands.
Her stomach evoked the calling of anxious butterflies as she secretly count downed to her arrival at the Castle of the Grand City of Lucis.
Tonight would officially mark her first visit to the Lucis Kingdom.
"Lucis is the most powerful country in the history of the Fabula Nova Crystallis." Stella read aloud from a thick encyclopedia she brought along to combat her boredom.
"In the world of the Fabula Nova Crystallis, magical crystals raged war, conflict and division among countries because of their lust for state power. Once upon a time the world of the Fabula Nova Crystallis was one nation: where all the people were united under a resilient desire for peace and harmony. However, the darkness of humanity could not prevent the spiral of war that separated the world into five countries; Accordo, Solheim, Tenebrae, Niflheim and Lucis. Out of all the nations, one stood out to rise above them all. The Kingdom of Lucis acquired wealth, prosperity and technological advancement through the wisdom of the royal bloodline of the Caelum family, who still reigns the throne to this date. While the other nations pursued military weapons and power for ongoing turbulent wars, the sovereign rulers and loyal people of Lucis poured their soul and energy into defending the one and only magical crystal they had. The passage of centuries of time has allowed the existence of only one crystal of power left in this universe, which now lies deep beneath the heart of Lucis."
Stella shut her heavy encyclopedia with a thud sound emulating a miniature thunder-clap.
"You are already showing the promises of what it means to be the only daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Fleuret." Chuckled Stella's father proudly.
"I'm proud of the way you have inherited the noble trait of the aristocratic House of Tenebrae, which is to take resourcefulness everywhere you go." He patted her blonde head with a genuine praise.
Stella smiled a childish grin.
She couldn't help but pervade excitement through every nerve of her body.
Stella had always accompanied her parents, when they traveled to settle political and international affairs with the royals and aristocrats from other nations.
But it was only recently that the House of Tenebrae decided to establish a pact of truce with the royals of Lucis.
Even a girl as young as Stella knew; today would make headlines as the politically historical moment to hope for further peace and alliance between the two nations.
She gleamed with a mixture of emotions as this was the first time she would visit a technologically advanced state; full of tall, sleek skyscrapers.
Accordo, Solheim, Tenebrae and Niflheim had their own touch of grand and medieval glamour, but it was nothing like what Lucis was.
Lucis was the city that never slept.
Stella was star struck in her car as she looked out into the night life of Lucis.
The lights shone brighter than the new-born stars in all directions.
No matter where she diverted her eyes, crowds of people busily hasted about even in the hours of bedtime.
"Mother look!" Stella could not hide her frenzy within.
"Yes I know dear, I was just as blown away as you were on my first visit. Lucis sure is a godly given beauty." charmed Duchess Fleuret gently.
When the black car ceased to a slow halt, Stella was beyond her awe.
They passed through gigantic gates and walls that were almost twenty meters high above the tiled concrete ground.
The gateway was made from glossy, raven colored marble stones that seemed impenetrable.
She passed through endless repeating lines of first-class military soldiers with guns on their sides who stood as still as a statue.
They saluted autonomously in their firm positions by the entrance.
Stella too, lived in a mansion full of security soldiers and bodyguards; but she didn't have titanic walls, fences and turret towers to defend her home as if it were a sacred fortress.
"Whoever lives within these walls is clearly above royalty." speculated her young mind.
"Whose house are we visiting Father?" asked Stella with a very respectable manner.
"We are visiting the Castle of Lord Regis, the King of Lucis. I know you have visited castles of other states, but Stella my darling, when you visit the castle of the most powerful man in Crystallis, all those other visits will be like comparing a plain muffin to a triple decked chocolate cake." Chortled Duke Fleuret.
Stella didn't take this as a joke. After all she had read about Lord Regis and the history of the Kingdom of Lucis, she knew her father wasn't exaggerating about the might of King Regis and his Kingdom.
But strangely, she never really wished that she would one day visit the Castle of Lucis.
She never dreamt it would happen for real in a million years.
Stella knew early on, from when she was a toddler, that her Father was a diplomat who dealt with political and international relations between the five countries.
The daughter of the Duke of Tenebrae, often followed him on his expeditions and treaty visits overseas, as her father thought it would widen her horizons to educate her to become a royally fit lady of aristocracy.
And indeed those visits did do what they promised.
But as she studied about the royal family of Lucis and their dynasty, she learnt to fear the sovereignty of Lucis.
She felt that somehow, the hegemony of Lucis was a threat and a danger to the peace of the world.
That's why she never begged her parents to visit this Kingdom, in spite of its luring awe and glamour.
"That's why they refused to tell me the exactness of the destination until now." She thought.
Stella felt all the muscles in her body constrict to a tense hold as she felt the jingle of energy running through her veins.
She had heard that King Regis was not quite the typical ascendancy, like the other kings of nations.
Apparently, King Regis was good to both his Kingdom and to his neighbors.
But she couldn't forget the hidden history of Lucis and how it had maintained its hold of the last crystal left in the world.
"This time, you won't be so lonely Stella." Her mother interrupted her wild worries.
"The heir to King Regis is Noctis Lucis Caelum. He was born on the same constellation star sign Eridanus as you are. We will be staying in his castle for few weeks or more this time, so you can become friends with the future King of Lucis. Ahh… if only you two were a bit older, who knows what blessings young love could bring to our family's honor..." Sighed Duchess Fleuret.
"Oh honey, don't give our daughter false hopes so early. After all, Stella also needs to remember that Noctis is the only heir to the throne of Lucis. He will probably end up marrying the princess of Niflheim, to create an alliance with the second most powerful Kingdom of Crystallis. But don't be disappointed Stella, for I will surely find a fine Duke. Or if we are blessed by Etro, even a Prince from an Arcadian empire to the likes of Tenebrae's rank and alliance. I heard the Prince of Solheim had quite a fancy for you the last time we visited. Although he is a bit older than you..." Stella's father trailed off to himself, muttering deep in his own thoughts.
That's what Stella liked about her father.
He was always informing her realities of the world, regardless of her age and regardless of breaking a young girl's fairy tale fantasy.
"But darling, just look at Stella's god given features! We all knew from the moment she opened her blue eyes that she wasn't just an exceptional beauty. She was one of a kind! Her good looks and personality have made a reputation all by itself at such a young age already. And as she grows older, her beauty will only blossom even further. I think one day, she will make a fine queen." Exclaimed the Duchess.
"Oh yes she has inherited your loveliness and I do agree I have never seen a girl quite as pretty and elegant as our daughter." Laughed the Duke in parental pride.
Stella just smiled at having such proud parents.
But her mind was dozing off somewhere else.
Whoever this future throne holder of Lucis was, she could not think of him as her equal.
How could she?
After all those stories she had heard of their victorious tenure and gripping control they had over others…
"Stella get ready to greet the King of Lucis, your Highness Regis with your most gracious courtesy. We're here." Commanded Stella's mother.
"Yes mother." Stella obeyed in her direct and affirmative voice.
When the car came to a halt, they saw a long, high row of wide staircases that were almost ten feet wide.
It was aligned with red carpet, that led up to the grand door of the castle.
Two enormous statues of winged angels in tears, guarded the main entrance at each side.
King Regis was waiting at the foot of the stairways with his numerous bodyguards.
His age enamored posture and grace; with a well tamed moustache and dark blue-grayish hair pulled back into a neat slick.
His sky blue eyes demanded the look of power and authority in all its rights.
The sleek, expensive black tuxedo suit paired with leather gloves made him look every bit the King he was renowned to be.
"Welcome! Duke and Duchess of Fleuret of Tenebrae! You are most welcome at Lucis." King Regis greeted sociably and casually, which threw his royal first appearance out of character.
"Your Highness, King Regis Lucis Caelum, we are most honored to be invited to such an excellent and advanced country." Bowed Stella's father.
The Tenebrae family all bowed down to the King of Lucis, but Regis unexpectedly returned the bow.
"I am sorry to inform you that my son Noctis... has refused my orders to greet you at the entrance. It is our custom to greet every noble guest courtly at the entrance, but my son… ahh… let's just say that he is not as mature as your lovely daughter… what is your name, beautiful girl?"
"Stella. Stella Nox Fleuret, my lord." Charmed Stella graciously.
"Ahh… a name as pretty as your sparkling eyes. Indeed you must have been named after her eyes I presume? Of the stars…" King Regis questioned Duke Fleuret.
It seemed that even royalties and nobles had to crack the ice somehow during their first encounter.
"Oh, not quite my lord. We counseled the church's seeress before her birth. They gave us the name with astrological prophecies."
"My, oh my!" clapped King Regis, again acting out of his lordship behavior.
"That is exactly how my son Noctis was named! We were told that he was a child of the night, by the Seer of the Goddess Etro too. Star and Night… what a pair you shall be within your stay." King Regis winked at Stella.
"Please, come inside, dinner is ready. You must have an appetite after such a long trip."
The bodyguards of Lucis, all dressed in black suits instead of the usual metal armor like the other nations, ushered the Fleuret family inside the walls of the castle.
A grand entrance, accompanied by an endless row of water fountains, that created waterfalls on each sides of the walls that aligned the entranceway.
It exuberated a cooling and refreshing sound and buzz to welcome the guests into the castle.
The mansion that Stella lived in Tenebrae was grand in itself, but it was nothing compared to this.
The castle was tapered with luxurious jewels and marbles that decked angelic statues and paintings.
Dark and ancient gargoyles seemed to glare back at Stella, as she followed King Regis down the long hallway.
The castle frightened Stella; as it had an array of pitch-blackness to it, as if it were the castle of a wealthy vampire in exile since the beginning of time.
The lights above the ceilings were dimly lit in a gothic fashion, that embraced both the modern and stylish architectural characteristics of Lucis.
Stella could not conceal the admiration for beauty burrowed in her thoughts, as they finally reached the dining hall.
Although other parts of the Castle were lit up by candles in the night, the dining hall was lit up by a wide spacious window that screened the city lights of Lucis.
"It must be so grand to gaze at the metropolitan night life... while you sip your evening wine, Lord Lucis." Complemented the Duke.
"Ah… your eyes never get tired of the view; it's just that the lights sometimes irritate them instead." The King seemed to reveal more of his comical self with ease, as time went by.
The golden plates that sat on the grand table was full of lobsters, vegetables, fruits and sweet deserts that aroused their appetites.
They ate and complimented the Chef, while Stella's parents went down to business with the King of their political talk.
Stella drowned the adult conversation away from her attention.
She was used to not engaging or interrupting adults in the midst of political business.
It was like second nature to her at this age.
Stella's disinterest in anything other than her meal plate, dissolved as the giggles and shouts of young boys echoed near the dining hall.
A total of five teenage boys dressed in black, laughed and tackled each other like immature children in playschool.
Stella's attention concisely focused on to one person.
It was him.
Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, the last heir to the throne of Lucis.
Noctis was a young boy of thirteen, the same age as Stella, but slightly taller.
He was sporting a black short-sleeved hoodie, Capri shorts and black shoe laced sneakers.
An attire too seemingly casual for the likes of his dynasty.
A thin, pale boy with sky blue eyes that contrasted along with his dark and blue-grayish hair, that spiked in unsymmetrical and messy diversions.
It gave the boy a dark and edgy look about him.
However, Stella noted his mature, penetrative and mysterious gaze that was beyond his child age.
The way his eyes specked insertion towards her, unsettled her mind.
She was utterly demeaned by the aura of his royalty, which silently screamed his rightful position to be every bit the prince that he was born to be.
Noctis stopped laughing as soon as his eyes met Stella's.
His pals beside him; four of them were similar to his age, a few slightly older and bigger than he was.
The group of boys as a whole, looked very athletic and agile for their typical age group.
An evidence of Lucis's vigorous physical training of their royalty, so that they were capable of defending themselves whenever danger and invasions struck.
"Boys! You're late! Come down sensibly and greet the Fleuret family of Tenebrae before you sit down for dinner. And Noctis, I'm going to have a word with you late for disobeying my orders." Lectured the King in a strictly manner.
The boys lined up in a military fashion with tense and straight postures instantly, imitating the soldier guards outside the castle.
Everyone except Noctis, gave their full courtesy and royal greeting to the Tenebrae family.
Noctis gave his half-assed bow for what seemed like a deliberately timed lateness of his courtesy.
However, even as Noctis bowed to greet Stella in a careless fashion, Stella couldn't help notice the sharp and penetrating peep that steamed from the spoilt young prince's sky blue eyes.